Long-term deposition of fly ash regulates bacterial communities in different disturbance zones: Evidence from diversity, network complexity and predictive metabolic function

The structural diversity and metabolic pathways formed by soil microbial-environmental factor interactions can be used to predict the differences in microbial ecological functions. The storage of fly ash (FA) has caused potential harm to the surrounding soil environment, whereas little is known about bacterial communities and environmental factor interactions in FA-disturbed areas. In this study, we selected two disturbed areas (DW: dry-wet deposition zone, LF: leachate flow zone) and two nondisturbed areas (CSO: control point soil, CSE: control point sediment) as the test areas and used high-throughput sequencing technology to investigate the bacterial communities. The results indicated that (1) FA disturbance significantly increased the electrical conductivity (EC), geometric mean diameter (GMD), soil organic carbon (SOC) and some potentially toxic metals (PTMs) (Cu, Zn, Se and Pb) of DW and LF and significantly decreased the AK of DW and the pH of LF (p